Spice Garden Eating House & Grill — Restaurant in Northern Territory

I went on their opening night (16th March) to try them out. This appears to be a rebranding of the previous Amma's Cafe that was in the Vic Hotel complex, with the aforementioned cafe now closed. Both specialise in Sri Lankan cuisine. I vaguely recall going once to the Cafe, and enjoying it, though not being wowed. The same applies to Spice Garden. I chose the Sri Lankan Chicken Curry (medium spicy), Kottu Roti (favourite of mine wherever available), some lamb biryani and steamed rice, which came down to about $65. Due to time constraints, we chose takeaway, which may have detracted from the experience.

The restaurant is brand new, you can see some elements of the previous tennants (Pavonia Place Restaurant), and the Indian restaurant there before that. We got there as they were opening, so they were still getting things under order, but their customer service was terrific, friendly and outstanding. While waiting for our foot they brought us iced water with lime slices, which was appreciated.

Getting back home, the food was a little dry, seems to have been cooked in advance but overall enjoyable, aside from the steamed rice which was very dry and seemed to have been cooked a while back. I'm going to go back for a dine-in experience, after their opening jitters. The venue looks nice, I look forward to seeing what they do with the (currently closed) outdoor garden when it opens, and see how much the food experience improves.

Essentially I'm satisfied with the food, just not ecstatic. I hope that changes on my next visit, and wish...

If the person who served us hadn't had issues with accepting that the goat had a really bad taste and hardly any gravy, the experience might have been better. Instead, he claimed the goat was made two days ago and still considered it fresh. I pointed out that the roti being served was uncooked, and he brought another one without asking if we wanted it, which was still uncooked. I thought he was doing us a favor, but he charged us for it, as well as for the curry that we tasted and returned. It seemed like they were only interested in making money, without caring whether the customer enjoyed their food or not. The yellow rice was overcooked, likely reheated multiple times over 3-4 days. The chicken kothu was cold, dry, and hard to eat. Overall, it was the worst experience, and I wouldn't recommend wasting your money on food from a place that doesn't acknowledge its mistakes. It was a disappointing...

If you’re craving an authentic taste of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan Chicken Kottu at Spice Garden Eating House and Grill is the place to go! From the moment you take your first bite, it’s clear that this dish is made with love and care. The chicken is tender, the roti perfectly chopped, and the mix of fresh veggies and spices hits all the right notes – a little bit of heat, a little bit of savory goodness. Every bite has this amazing balance of textures, with a satisfying crunch that keeps you coming back for more.

The portion is more than generous, and the flavors are so rich and comforting. It’s clear that Spice Garden knows how to bring the true essence of Sri Lankan street food to life, with a cozy, inviting twist. Whether you’ve tried Kottu before or this is your first time, you’ll...